This world is second best....

Three reasons for why the Torah begins with the letter Beis and not the first letter Aleph.
1) Beis begins the word Beracha blessing. Aleph begins the word Arirah cursed
2)The shape of the Beis with an opening to the north is a symbol of the unfinished nature of this world
3)Torah is the wisdom of G-d and flows downward taking on more corporeal forms in the lower worlds. Our torah is the world of B'ya not the higher spiritual torah of atzilus.

These seemingly different reasons all flow from a more primary reason and as in all of torah are related to each other. Before one begins learning Torah one must be aware of the giver of the Torah. The Aleph The master of the world.

When this is the case the torah in this world becomes one with the way torah is in the upper worlds. The person studying torah in this fashion then his learning is in a way of blessing. It is then able to impact creation and can then complete the world and close off the northern side of the Beis.

Likutei Sichos vol. 15 pages 1-6

Lessons snakes taught me...

The snake was smarter than all the other creatures but because of its deeds it became cursed more than all creatures.

In the desert The Jews were being bitten by snakes and Moses makes a copper snake places it on a pole and all who gaze upon it are healed.

The power of good is greater than the power of evil. If through an evil deed one can fall so low so for sure through repentance one can be lifted to the highest levels.

Likutei Sichos vol. 10 pgs. 13-18

Don't be afraid of the dark because it has a secret...

G-d creates light on the first day and then he hides it. Why create it if you are going to hide it? the Zohar says the numeric value of light Ohr =207 is the same as secret Raz =207. Now secret seems to be the furthest thing from light. Light reveals but a secret is hidden!

G-d creates the world with a master plan with a purpose. The purpose is LIGHT. Light that we transform out of the darkness of this world by making this world a dwelling place for G-d. “Let there be light!” is the cry that permeates all of existence.

G-d looks at creation and saw it was Good. Good and light are synonymous in Jewish thought. So the light is not just purpose of creation it is beneath the surface of all creation. Even the darkness has light within. Do not be afraid of creation or even of the darkness for it whispers a secret I am light within. Transform the darkness and the light will pour forth.

Likutei Sichos vol. 10 pgs. 7-12

Stealing the land II

When the nations of the world say to you you are thieves for you have stolen the land....In a spiritual sense this is the claim leave Judaism out of your business life out of the real world. Religion belongs in the sphere of the holy not the mundane. We answer G-d original intent was the material world be transformed. This is why the world was created. The Hebrew word for land Eretz is conncted to the word for will Ratzon. The Lubavitcher rebbes would say Mach Doh eretz yisrael! Make Israel here. Steal a little from your mundane existence from the times of eating and sleeping and make it holy learn and pray.... make it into the Holy land-the holy will.

Likutei Sichos vol. 10 pgs. 1-6

Time VS Season

Rashi speaks of regaav and Itav. There is time as it is counted and there are the seasons of time which can be felt, they are not counted they are sensed.

Rabbi Issac Homiler the great Chasid was "on the crossroads" after the passing of Mitteler Rebbe. He was with the Ruszhiner on the eve of Shabbat in the Ruszhiner's private room. the moment Shabbos arrived the Ruszhiner threw away his pipe and his face changed. Rabbi Issac said afterwards if I was not in the room at the time I would not have believed it was the same person so great was the change in the Ruszhiner's appearance.

Likutei sichos vol. 5 pgs. 24-35

No time to waste

Rashi says G-d finished on shabbos his work a hair into Shabbat. This minute amount of work is permitted on Shabbat.

What is the lesson for us?
Every moment is important. If there is a moment that we can be doing our mission we should be doing it. If we don't the entire world is missing something and is incomplete.

In a similar fashion one can ask what is this last generation doing of benefit in this world after all the divine service of previous generations with their awesome accomplishments.

We have to know that it is specifically our small accomplishments that will conclude this grand enterprise of six thousand years and usher in the seventh day which is all Shabbat!

Likutei sichos vol. 5 pgs. 24-35

Herring as heaven

G-d creates the great Taninim the leviathans. If they would procreate the earth could not survive. G-d kills the female leviathan and salts her for the righteous in the world to come ahh Herring as heaven. The male survives ...
The word leviathan is connected to the word levi which means connection. The leviathan symbolizes a level of divine service where the individual is one with G-d at all times. The male in a relationship gives a drop and in the womb of the female it develops and expands and is born into this world. Humanity cannot afford the female leviathan model where we are connected to the divine at all times in a constantly expanding way leaving no room for earth. We need to be connected to the world as well. We do need the male leviathan the drop of connection at all times and places. In the future with the coming of Moshiach we will all consume the female leviathan and make it part of us. For now our focus must be bringing G-d into this world.

likutei sichos vol. 5 pgs. 16-23

The introduction to Rashi on the Torah is hidden.....in the first Rashi

The Rebbe's learning of Rashi reveals a highly systematic approach and my tidbits will conceal more than they reveal of the incredible edifices built by reasoning, logic, and analysis of every detail of Rashi including what he does not say. After asking many questions the rebbe will present an approach that answers all the questions in one swoop. I am just going to record some of the conclusions. (the italicized words are Rashi)

In the beginning Said Rabbi Isaac: It was not necessary to begin the Torah except from "This month is to you," (Exodus. 12:2) which is the first commandment that the Israelites were commanded, .
As a unique people, because the commandments such as bris and not eating the sciatic nerve were given to the children of Israel before they were become a Nation through the exodus and the giving of the torah.

Now for what reason did He commence with "In the beginning?" Because of [the verse] "The strength of His works He related to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations (Ps. 111:6). For if the nations of the world should say to Israel, "You are robbers, for you conquered by force the lands of the seven nations [of Canaan],

Nations conquer territory and it becomes their own. When stronger nations arise they take it from the erstwhile conquerors and it changes ownership again. The complaint of the nations of the world to the Jewish people is: You Jews did not conquer a land. You transformed it! You have created qualitative changes in the land it is no longer a piece of land like the rest of the globe it is now something tied to your essence. Even when you are exiled it is called your land. You are thieves you took something that does not belong to you the essence of the land. We all used to have the potential to make it our own like any other piece of real estate now you guys took that ability away from us. that is stealing! To that you have no right!

they will reply, "The entire earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed He; He created it
and he can change the essence of land if he wants to.

and gave it to whomever He deemed proper.
The Jewish people right from creation

When He wished He gave it to them,
To the nations of the world for a short while in order that we later transform this land of the nations into the land of Israel when he gives it to us after we undergo our slavery in Egypt and our trek through the desert

and when He wished, He took it away from them and gave it to us.

The deeper dimension is also within Rashi once one understands the simple level.

A child learns the whole torah before he is born while in his mother's womb and then is given a tap and he forgets it. Torah has to be studied and toiled (not exactly the method I am using in this race through the sichos) ya gotta sweat! No bread of shame no free lunch!
Therefore the child has to forget everything. However he learns it all before birth in his mothers womb in the world of emanation (malchus of atzilus) before the soul becomes a creation. He learns an otherworldly Torah a torah not bound by creation. Later on after birth when he acquires the torah through his own struggles the Torah of atzilus can shine through, the Torah the way it is above creation can shine into this world.

In a similar fashion the Jewish land is give us even before we are born as a people. It is then taken from us and given to the other nations. When the Jewish people conquered the land they had the power and transformed it into something so different from any other land that no other nation has a right to it. It is now one with the Jewish people for all eternity.

Torah as well takes a journey through the four worlds parallel to the four dimensions of Torah study called Pardes. The torah travels from the world of emanation of atzilus where the mystical torah is queen down to this world of action where the simple meaning finds her home.

The paradox is that it is though struggling with the simple meaning that the inner dimensions open up. In a similar fashion it is in this world of action which is a world of deceit where evil is allowed to flourish that we are able to connect most directly with the divine.

This is also the introduction to Rashi on the torah. Rashi is saying enter the doors of the simple meaning and you will discover the inner dimensions the wine of the wine within the grape

interesting footnotes: 21 One may use a lulav grown on land taken by one state from another in war for whatnations conquers in war is not called stealing. Shulchan aruch harav 649:10. footnote 36 quotes an opinion in tosfos "deamar" in avoda zara 20a that the prohibition against idol worshipers settling in Israel should not be limited to the seven nations

Likutei sichos vol. 5 pg.1-15

Big guys have even bigger yeitzers....

1)How can Adam and Chava formed by G-d sin? The greater the person the more important the mitzvahs he or she can do. Therefore the greater the opposition. We see we are still suffering from the impact of that sin. In addition the evil inclination is greater in order to maintain the freedom of choice.

2) The consequences of not telling Chava directly about the prohibition of eating the fruit corrected by giving of torah when the women are let in on the picture earlier.

3) Why do we say in the wedding blessings " Let the loving couple be very happy, just as You made Your creation happy in the garden of Eden, Mikedem so long ago."? We know it was long ago! What we mean to wish the new couple is that their relationship should be like it was in the beginning in the garden of Eden before they messed up!

Likutei sichos vol.3 pgs. 747-750

All is vanity of vanities! There is nothing else aside for HIM!!

1)Why does shabbos breishis set the tone for the entire year? because once we know that G-d created all and creates all constantly and it is through the blueprint of Torah we will see that nothing can hinder our observance of Torah and mitzvos. We will also not worry for since all comes from G-d and G-d is good everything will be good.

2)Any aliyah to the Torah means all five dimensions of the souls get an elevation an Aliyah even if the person below does not sense it.

3)commit to an increase in learning that is in accordance to the root of your soul both in revealed torah and the inner dimensions (does this qualify?)

4) the service of the divine is easier in the summer than the winter (warm/light vs cold/dark)
Likutei Sichos Vol. 1 pgs. 1-4